


Inescapable Nightmare

by agentx13



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/M, sharon carter month, wish fulfullment
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:53:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28361973
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agentx13/pseuds/agentx13
Summary: He’s trapped in a nightmare. There’s no other way to say it. No other way to think of it. He’s in an inescapable nightmare.The plane’s autopilot controls are dead. He’s going to crash. Again. He can jump, but he wouldn’t survive at this height, doubts he would survive if he waited until he was closer to earth. Meanwhile, where would the plane go?This is a nightmare.He already knows what he has to do. He’s been here before.
Relationships: Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Sharon Carter/Steve Rogers
Comments: 4
Kudos: 21
Collections: Sharon Carter Month





	Inescapable Nightmare

**Author's Note:**

> Another idea from Irene! And yes, I take prompts from people. So if you've got one, send it my way! It might take a while, but it'll get done! ... Eventually...
> 
> Also, we've got less than a week to go to vote for next year's [Sharon Carter Month prompts](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1goHBjj2uGHsi5JVNTwyxcFecFHwsTkSPIbtbZKe7eQ0/edit)!

He’s trapped in a nightmare. There’s no other way to say it. No other way to think of it. He’s in an inescapable nightmare.

The plane’s autopilot controls are dead. He’s going to crash. Again. He can jump, but he wouldn’t survive at this height, doubts he would survive if he waited until he was closer to earth. Meanwhile, where would the plane go?

This is a nightmare.

He already knows what he has to do. He’s been here before. Similar windows blocked by similar clouds. The navigation panels dead. The hum of a flying coffin reverberating in his bones.

He presses his comm. An updated nightmare, he thinks ruefully. He wonders what the technology will be like when he lives through this next time. “Autopilot’s out. I’m going to- I have to go down with the plane.”

“No, you don’t.” Sharon. God, he really is repeating an updated version of his nightmare.

“I do. I can’t risk the plane crashing into a city.”

“You’re such an idiot, Steve.” There’s no malice in her voice. Impatience, maybe. And maybe a hint of… that can’t be amusement. It can’t be. “You _don’t._ Give me a minute.”

He stares at the controls. “I- I mean, I think we should use this time to say goodbye. I’ve been here before, Sharon.”

“Not with _me,_ you haven’t. I’ve got Pepper and Rhodey en route.”

“What?”

“Pepper and Rhodey,” Sharon repeats patiently. “Figured it was only right that Captain America should be rescued by people whose code names are Rescue and Iron Patriot.”

Steve blinks. “What about – What about Tony?”

“He’s helping on my end.”

“Babysitting duty!” Tony shouts from his lab. “Mor- Wait. Honey. Point the explosives _away_ from your face, okay?”

“Tony.” Pepper’s voice this time. Her warning voice. “Why is Morgan playing with explosives?”

“She isn’t bye have to concentrate byeeeeeeee.”

Over the comms, Sharon sighs.

The plane gives a jolt.

Rhodey grunts. “Don’t make me carry this myself, Pep. He’s _heavy._ ”

There’s another, softer jolt. “Got it,” Pepper says. “Tony. Keep the weapons away from our baby.”

Steve feels a burst of hope so strong it physically hurts. He doesn’t want to die. He doesn’t want to sleep for decades, either.

“Airfield in New Jersey,” Tony says. “Logistics check out. They can make it. And yes, Pepper. Morgan’s perfectly sa- Gotta go.”

“I’ll call and make arrangements,” Sharon confirms. “And Rhodey, don’t be mean. You know he has to eat a lot. He needs fuel for that much dumb.”

* * *

The plane touches down. It takes Steve a while to realize that he hasn’t crashed. That he can walk off the plane. And when he does, he’s shaking a little, but he doesn’t think that can be helped.

He’d almost thrown it all away again.

Could this have happened all those years ago?

He looks at Pepper and Rhodey, whose face plates are up, and who are high-fiving each other on the tarmac. No, he realizes. Because Tony Stark hadn’t existed back then. Because limitations had been too much back then.

Sharon arranges for transport to get him back home, and as soon as she opens the door, he wraps her in a hug hard enough it might bruise her bones. “Christ,” she squeaks. And then he kisses her, and kisses her more, which he has to admit, he likes.

* * *

The streetlamps light their ceiling as they lay in bed together, his fingers lazily playing with her hair. “If I’d said goodbye earlier… what would you have said?”

She moves against him, turning her face to him. “I would have said… ‘I love you. You self-sacrificing idiot.’ And then I would have gone to the Arctic and dug you up and told you in person.”

“I can be hard to find,” he says thoughtfully.

“You’re not the only one here who’s stubborn.” She pushes herself up, looking down at him in the darkness, her hair spilling over her shoulder. “I know we have to think of worst-case scenarios in our line of work, but please don’t forget that you aren’t alone anymore.”

“A new team of Commandos?” he asks wryly.

“A new group of friends. A new group of people who care about you.” She kisses him, soft and comforting. “People who won’t give up on you. Don’t give up on us so easily, okay?”

He wraps his arms around her. “I really am an idiot.”

“I know,” she says, amused. “But I like you anyway.”

“Only ‘like,’ huh?”

“Hey. You’re safe now.”

He grins up at her. He is. The knowledge makes him feel warm, happy. “So you only love me when I’m in danger, huh?”

“Maybe I’ll only admit it when you’re in danger.” She tilts her head, her curls brushing against his shoulder. “Unless you want to convince me to admit it at other times.”

His grin widens. “Thank you for saving me.”

She grins down at him. “Always.”

She yelps as he rolls over, then laughs as he kisses her neck. “Let me thank you properly.”


End file.
